All eyes are on the headquarters of the Bishops’ Conference in Congo. This dinner, the leaders of the country’s eight religious denominations must agree on a name as president of Ceni, a key position for holding free and open elections in the country. The climate is not the most peaceful. And while the head of the confessions has already complained about pressure and even threats, they saw supporters of Martin Fayulu this morning in the yard of Cenco.
With our special correspondent in Kinshasa, Sonia Rolley
The former candidate is still claiming his victory in the 2018 presidential election and his supporters came to demand a depoliticized Ceni. They left after leaving their memo to Father Donatien N’shole, Secretary General of Cenco, who promised to pass it on to the heads of religious communities. One thing is certain, what is happening right now within the four walls of the Episcopal Conference may have a major impact on the 2023 election.
The President of the Electoral Commission is the one who proclaims the preliminary results. And as one of Martin Fayulu’s supporters said, there is no election in Congo without violence or even protest. During each election cycle, the Ceni president has been accused of playing in the incumbent head of state and his name has never reached unanimity, not even at religious levels.
A candidate suspected of being close to the presidency
For election experts, it is obvious that if the president of Ceni is openly suspected of working for one of the candidates, it will be difficult to have a calm process or even a credible election. And today, as before, a candidate is suspected of being too close to the presidency, Denis Kadima, which the latter and his entourage Felix Tshisekedi have always denied. But this is the opinion of the leaders of the Catholic and Protestant churches.
Denis Kadima is the Executive Director of the Electoral Institute for a Sustainable Democracy in Africa and is a candidate for Kimbanguist Church, with the support of Revival Churchs. It is an arm wrestling that is played out. The first round took place this morning at the level of the Technical Secretariat, the candidates who did not meet the required requirements and in particular independence must be eliminated. At the exit there were no comments, but faces potted. Following in the footsteps of one of the religious leaders, we said that we were very far from unity.
We do not want Ceni with politicians.
Martin Fayulu’s supporters want a depoliticized Ceni
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